Duchess Mecklen’s Elegant Revolt - Chapter 19 Part 1

19. Returning to the Palace

From the following day, Eleanor’s new residence became the imperial palace.

It was due to her ankle injury. The Emperor, unwilling to let her leave in such an uncomfortable state, insisted that she stay. So, Eleanor had no choice but to remain in the palace. However, her presence there was kept a strict secret from outsiders. Her room, along with Hail’s, was classified as a protected area.

‘I feel a little sorry for Baroness Berenice.’

The house that the Baroness had carefully arranged for Eleanor was now useless.

Just as Eleanor was reflecting on Baroness Berenice, a visitor arrived.

Knock knock.

“It’s been a while, Lady Eleanor.”

“Lord Eger… what’s all that?”

Eleanor, having just set her teacup down, asked in surprise. Eger entered the room, balancing a tower of boxes, with only his eyes visible over the pile.

Without answering her question, Eger set the boxes down beside the table. “These are gifts from His Majesty.”

“Gifts?”

“I heard you enjoy snacks.”

At that, Eleanor made a small sound of realization. Since their last conversation, Lennoch had seemingly taken to bringing her snacks regularly.

Suppressing a smile, Eleanor offered tea. “Would you like some tea?”

“Thank you.”

Eleanor poured fresh black tea from the still-warm teapot, and Eger accepted it with a far more relaxed expression than before.

“You seem to be in a very good mood.”

“I have you to thank for that, my lady.”

“Me?”

Confused, Eleanor asked, but Eger avoided giving a direct answer. She had no idea how much trouble Evan had gone through to buy those desserts. Eger, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying himself. His troublesome cousin was likely stuck at his desk, fuming.

Trying to hide his smirk, Eger cleared his throat. “While I’m here running an errand for His Majesty, I also have some news to share.”

“Is that so?”

“A priest from the temple will visit tomorrow.”

“……!”

Eleanor, in the middle of taking a sip of tea, froze.

She immediately understood what Eger’s words meant. It was the first stage of mediation in the divorce process. If both parties agreed, the matter would end cleanly. However, if there was no consensus, a one-month grace period would follow.

The smile disappeared from Eleanor’s face as Eger continued, “The Duke of Mecklen will likely not agree easily.”

“……”

“As you may know, he is a man of considerable pride. He won’t want the Mecklen family to suffer public humiliation because of this.”

Eger wasn’t particularly close to Ernst, but he had seen enough of him to understand his personality.

“The longer the divorce process drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for you, my lady.”

“……”

“I know I’m overstepping, but…”

Eger hesitated for a moment. His words hadn’t been approved by the Emperor; this was his own, personal intervention. He worried that he might be overreaching.

‘Perhaps I’m overstepping my bounds.’

Despite his usually stern demeanor, Eger was a sensitive and caring person, and he couldn’t help but feel concerned for Eleanor.

“Will you be alright on your own?”

Could she really handle a long and drawn-out battle against the Duke of Mecklen? Even though both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager cared deeply for her, this wasn’t going to be an easy fight. After all, their marriage had been officially arranged through imperial intervention, and such circumstances always came with constraints.

Eger carefully voiced his thoughts. “If you’re willing, I would like to help you.”

If he stepped in, perhaps the matter could be resolved more smoothly. This way, the Emperor’s dignity would be preserved, and Eleanor could safely secure her divorce—a win-win situation.

“I apologize if my offer is uncomfortable for you.”

“No, it’s fine.” Eleanor shook her head, having listened quietly to his words.

Then, she took the top box from the pile Eger had brought and opened it. Inside was a plate of brownies, rich with the aroma of chocolate. The brownies were pre-sliced, so Eleanor placed the plate in front of Eger and slid it toward him.

“Do you like sweets?”

“Of course.”

Though he answered quickly, Eger couldn’t hide the look of curiosity in his eyes. He sensed a strange confidence in Eleanor, something he hadn’t expected.

Feeling a bit awkward, he accepted the fork she offered. “Thank you for the food.”

“Enjoy.”

Eleanor watched as Eger began to eat the brownie. It was the first time she had ever observed someone eating so closely. As she did, a small smile formed on her lips.

‘Is this how Lennoch looked at me when I ate?’

“I really do owe a lot to everyone.”

Lennoch, the Empress Dowager, Berenice, Brianna, Norah, and now Eger as well.

Eleanor remembered how prickly Eger had been when they first met. Though he still wore the same stern expression, he no longer seemed distant.

Watching him eat his brownie, Eleanor decided to answer brightly, “But I’ll be fine handling this matter on my own.”

“I apologize if I overstepped…”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Eleanor took a bite of her own brownie, smiling as she spoke, “The Duke and I—our divorce is something I can handle alone.”

***

A strange tension filled the Emperor’s office.

Evan, seated at the desk, had paused in the middle of sorting through papers, stealing a glance at the Emperor.

‘What is it this time?’

Unlike the day before, the Emperor’s mood seemed awful. His expression was stony, his face radiating coldness. Unable to ignore it, Evan’s gaze wandered to the paper Lennoch was holding.

The Emperor had been in and out of the palace all day and was now back in his office, yet he was simply staring at the paper in his hand, saying nothing. Eger had left earlier with the snack boxes, and now Evan was alone, trying to decipher his superior’s mood.

‘What is going on?’

“Evan.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

At the sound of Lennoch’s voice, Evan rose from his seat. He had been wondering what was going on, and now that the Emperor had addressed him directly, his curiosity was piqued.

The Emperor gestured for him to come closer. “Take a look at this.”

“……?”

Evan stepped forward and took the report the Emperor handed him. Quickly scanning its contents, he let out a small groan. “This is…”

“What do you make of it?”

The report detailed the poisoning of the nanny. Not only had it been revealed that she had secretly abused the prince, but she had also died of poisoning immediately after being captured. The time of her death had been recorded as around 1 AM.

Evan, having finished reading the report, frowned. “To think someone so dangerous had infiltrated the palace. We must find the culprit as soon as possible.”

“I agree.” Lennoch’s voice was cold. “A team has been assembled to investigate the matter, but there are few leads. We don’t even know how the poison was administered.”

“Was it not placed in her food?”

“No. It was too late for any meals to be served by the time she was restrained.”

“Then perhaps she ingested the poison herself.”

“She was thoroughly searched before being imprisoned, and nothing was found.”

A female knight had conducted a full body search, but nothing had turned up.

“That leaves only the guard.”

“Exactly. But the guard also took his own life.”

“……!”

The only person who had direct contact with the nanny while she was imprisoned had been the guard. According to Childe von Ezester, who had been in a nearby cell, the guard had instructed the nanny to quiet down. However, the guard had since vanished, and his body had been discovered near the prison shortly thereafter.

“They’re meticulous. And ruthless.”

Lennoch’s assessment was grim, and Evan nodded in agreement. “I think so too. It’s hard to know where to begin the investigation. Are there any other clues?”

“There is one.”

Lennoch tapped his fingers on the desk, a sign that he was deep in thought. Evan, sensing the seriousness of the situation, waited in silence.

“I need you to look into something.”

“Anything, Your Majesty.”

Evan couldn’t help but smile inwardly. It was clear that the Emperor was beginning to trust him, especially since Eger wasn’t around for such an important conversation.

Finally, the Emperor recognized his value.

Leaning in slightly, Evan listened intently for Lennoch’s next words.

“I need you to find the source of the poison.”

***

Returning to the Baden Imperial Palace after a long time, Ernst immediately sensed that something was amiss. The palace staff seemed unusually tense, their movements cautious, and their eyes darting nervously.

Covered in dust from travel, Ernst tossed his cloak aside in his office and headed straight for the Emperor.

“Your Majesty.”

“You’ve returned?”

Lennoch, who had been sorting through some reports, greeted him warmly. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“How did things go?”

Lennoch gestured for Ernst to sit, and he complied. With the other aides busy elsewhere, it was just the two of them in the Emperor’s office.

Ernst reported, “The matter you mentioned was taken care of. Commander Tatar, who represented Bahama, was rather incompetent. He didn’t seem adept at negotiating.”

“Hmm.”

“I can’t fathom why Bahama would send someone like him. However, there were no serious issues, and we were able to proceed with the military agreement as planned. I’ll prepare a detailed written report along with the agreement and submit it shortly.”

“Very well.” Lennoch nodded and handed Ernst one of the documents on his desk. “Take a look at this.”

“What is it?”

“We’ve strengthened security throughout the palace. There was an incident recently. You can get the details from Vincent.”

“Understood.”

Having finished their business, Ernst rose from his seat. He wasn’t one for unnecessary chatter. Just as he was about to leave, the Emperor called out to him again.

“Ernst.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“…How is your wife?”

At the sudden question, Ernst found himself at a loss for words. Was it because of that strange dream? The Emperor’s inquiry about Eleanor sent a chill down his spine.

After a long, awkward pause, Ernst finally answered, “She’s doing well.”

“……”

The lies were piling up. His mother had mistreated Eleanor, and they were now living separately, but Ernst couldn’t bring himself to reveal the truth. He couldn’t bear to admit the disgraceful state of his family.

“I will handle the divorce on my own.”

It was a vague answer—neither a clear commitment to the divorce nor a refusal. His face grew stiff as if to indicate that he had no intention of discussing the matter further.

An uneasy tension hung in the air between them.

“…I see.”

At last, the Emperor let out a single, heavy word. It felt as though he already knew everything but didn’t want to press for details. Perhaps he feared the exhaustion of confronting an unwanted truth.

“I’ll be on my way now.”

Before another question could be asked, Ernst quickly took his leave. It was almost as if he were fleeing, unable to meet the Emperor’s gaze directly.

***